Transcription
by ClaireBear1982
Summary: Mason has to deal with facing a new school after transferring.


A/N: Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition.

Captain of Pride of Portree.

Prompt: Captain: A student transfers to another school (restriction: not Hogwarts).

For my sweet Ninja

* * *

Mason awoke and felt incredibly disorientated. Where was she? Then she realised that she was in her new home in America. Groaning, Mason got up out of her bed and stumbled to the window. As she looked out, she saw nothing but houses, concrete, and cars.

For a moment she felt bereft. She was already missing the rolling green hills and the pink cherry blossoms that resided in the grounds of Mahoutokoro school. Now she was in this strange foreign land, and due to travel to Ilvermorny to continue her magical education. A wave of sadness hit Mason and silent tears slid down her cheeks, Merlin, how she was missing all her friends. Her heart ached to be back there.

A soft knock at the door startled Mason. She quickly wiped her eyes before allowing entry to her room.

"Morning, darling," said Mr Fletcher - Mason's father.

"Morning, dad," said Mason quietly before moving away from the window.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" asked her father knowingly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, daddy," Mason smiled weakly.

"I know it's a huge change, but I think we both need it, don't you?" said Mr Fletcher softly as he placed both hands on his only child's shoulders.

Mason bit her lip and lightly nodded.

"I know you found it hard to leave mummy behind, but she wouldn't want you to be sad. She'd have wanted you to move on and be happy," said Mr Fletcher as he drew his daughter into a hug.

Mason wrapped her arms around her dad's waist and buried her face into his chest. Softly she began to cry. Pain anew washed over her just as it had on the day her mother had died. There had been an accident on the road to Kyoto Bay, her mother had been knocked off her bike by a young driver. She was thrown from her bike into a ditch where she had been rendered unconscious and drowned in the murky water.

Mason would never forget the whole thing. Finally, her father gently pulled his baby girl away from him and spoke.

"Come on, get yourself ready then come down for breakfast. We have a bit of a trip ahead of us."

Grudgingly Mason went through her morning routine and went to join her father in the kitchen for a breakfast of pancakes and bacon. Once breakfast was over and the kitchen was tidy again, it was time to leave. Mr Fletcher carried Mason's heavy trunk out to the car.

"Good Lord, my love, what have you got in here? Rocks?" Chuckled Mr Fletcher.

Mason just rolled her eyes and continued to fight with the straps on the cat carrier. He had said the exact same thing when they'd moved in.

Finally, they were on their way to Mount Greylock, Massachusetts, the home of Ilvermorny school.

Upon arrival, Mason took a moment to stare in awe at the huge castle. She couldn't believe this used to be a cottage originally. Mason gulped, Merlin, she was scared. The gatekeeper came shuffling out of his little hut toward the car.

"What you pair of No-Maj's doing here, huh?" Growled the man.

"Hi, I'm Mason Fletcher, I'm new here."

The man sniffed loudly and grunted. Pulling out his wand, the man cast a Patronus. Mason couldn't quite make out what manner of beast it was.

"Ah, here comes Professor Fontaine now," said the man. He proceeded to shuffle back to his hut and slammed the door shut.

Smoothly the gates swung open. Mason and her father climbed out of the car to greet the Headmaster.

"Mason, welcome to Ilvermorny school, I'm Professor Fontaine," said Professor Fontaine kindly as he put out a hand to shake. "We hope you will be very happy here."

"Thank you, Professor, I hope so too," said Mason quietly.

Once the Headmaster had spoken to Mr Fletcher, he quickly cast a levitation charm on Mason's trunk and headed back toward the castle.

"Okay, Mason, once we get inside the entranceway you will need to stand on the Gordian Knot in the centre of the floor. Then one of the statues will pick you for their house. We have Thunderbird, Pukwedgie, Wampus, and Horned Serpent. Normally we don't allow students to start here with a wand, but given you're older than most who start here, I'll overlook this fact, okay?"

As they reached the entrance, Mason saw two huge lifelike statues of a man and a woman flanking the huge front doors.

"Those are Isolt and her husband James. The founders of this wonderful school," smiled Professor Fontaine.

"Oh, I read about them in Ilvermorny the history of this historic school," smiled Mason for the first time that afternoon.

"Oh, so you like to read, huh?" asked the Headmaster kindly.

"I do," said Mason on a murmur for they had just entered into a circular room, topped by a glass cupola. The light from the cupola hit the stone-carved Gordian Knot and seem to make the air around it almost shimmer.

Mason looked around in awe. Looking up at the floor above, she saw a wooden balcony ran its way around the room. The four statues stood in a circle around the Gordian Knot. Feeling a sense of compulsion, Mason slowly walked toward the Knot carved into the stone floor. After a moment the Thunderbird came to life and flapped its wings.

"Bravo, Mason! Welcome to Thunderbird house. Now, if you'd like to come with me I'll lead you to your dormitory."

On the way up to her dormitory, Mason's eyes darted every which way trying to take in the sights, as well as remember the route back down again at dinner time. Compared to Mahoutokoro, Ilvermorny was huge, Mason was terrified that she would get lost in the vast never-ending cold stone corridors.

When they arrived in Thunderbird house, Professor Fontaine called for everyone's attention.

"Thunderbirds, we have a new student, this is Mason Fletcher. She will be joining fifth year. Now I want you all to make her feel welcome, and to answer any questions she may have."

Mason tried her hardest to hide behind her soft curling brown hair. She was certain that her face was rosy, or at least it felt that way.

Before Professor Fontaine left, he called over the house prefect and introduced her to Mason. The girl was clearly not very interested in the new girl and hardly spoke a word to her. Going back to her homework as soon as she had pointed half-heartedly at the bunk that Mason would be sleeping in. Mason sat on the edge of the bed and sighed. She hoped that not everyone would be as rude and cold towards her. She began unpacking her trunk, her new blue and cranberry coloured robes already hung in the small thin wardrobe, her purple and white tie representing her new house, was wrapped around the hanger. Mason stuck out her hand and felt the soft fabric of her robes. It almost felt like a jersey material and her tie felt like silky satin. Just then the door swung open causing Mason to jump. She pulled her hand away almost as if they had burnt her.

"Looks like the new girl is here," said the shorter of the three girls who entered.

Mason visibly shrank from the scrutinization of these girls. Again she tried to hide her face behind her hair.

"What's your name, new girl?" sneered the tall purple-haired girl.

"Mason. Mason Fletcher."

"What kind of a name is Mason? I thought that was a boys name! Are you really a boy under that dress?" she said with a laugh, it was the third girl with blonde hair.

"No, I'm not! So leave me alone!" Snapped Mason.

"Or, you'll what?" Whispered the girl with purple hair as she got right up in Mason's face. "Well, what you gonna do?"

Mason whipped out her wand quicker than any of them could blink. She poked her wand under the chin of the girl currently invading her space.

"You wouldn't dare use that," scowled the girl.

"Try me!" Threatened Mason.

Being unknown they had no idea of her proficiency with a wand so they backed off.

"Is everything okay here?" Asked a girl with curly grey hair and violet eyes.

The three girls whipped 'round looking abashed at being caught picking on the new girl.

"Everything is okay," smiled Mason, for now, she knew she was safe. The three girls took off fast out of the door without looking back.

"Hey, I'm Winter," said the girl with the grey eyes and the mysterious violet eyes.

Mason smiled. This girl had a smile that just made you feel super calm.

"Hey, I'm Mason."

"Welcome to Thunderbird house, Mason, " said Winter happily. "If you have any questions feel free to ask me. The other girls in this dorm can be rather unsavoury."

"I noticed, " murmured Mason as she tucked a curling strand of hair behind her ear.

Winter grinned. "Do you want some help unpacking?"

"I'm almost done, but thanks for the offer, " Mason smiled again.

"I'm just going to freshen up then I'll take you down to dinner, " smiled Winter. "Don't go anywhere."

Again, Mason smiled to herself. Winter was such a doll. She had beautiful olive skin, that looked flawless. Her grey hair looked like silk, and her eyes were the strangest colour she'd ever seen. But she just had this way about her that made her feel so calm.

Mason quickly decided to pop on her robes so she wouldn't stick out as much when they went down to dinner.

That night Mason struggled to sleep, using her wand as a light. She got a book out of the pigeon-hole next to her bed. The book was old and familiar. It was a very battered copy of Beedle the Bard stories that had been her grandmothers. Despite knowing the stories inside and out, it still bought her a sense of comfort.

It was going to be a bumpy ride settling into this new school. But Mason had hope. Winter was lovely and had introduced her to her friend's circle at dinner, and they had been warm and welcoming towards her, and well if the mean girls didn't leave her alone, Mason knew a few spells that would keep the silly little girls busy. Eventually, Mason drifted off to sleep, a smile on her lips.


End file.
